The sheep were under a tonneau cover. North West police spokesperson, Amanda Funani, says two sheep were found dead under the cover. It is believed the animals suffocated. She says the suspects aged 35 and 42 were nabbed early on Monday in the Ventersdorp area.

This comes after members of the police's Flying Squad Unit and provincial detectives were on a routine patrol. They spotted a suspicious white Toyota bakkie, after which they approached the vehicle and searched it.

The sheep were found at the back under the bakkie's tonneau cover. Funani says the suspects failed to account for the animals and they were arrested. According to her, it was later established the sheep were stolen on Saturday at Tsetse Village outside Mahikeng.

The sheep were later positively identified by their owner who had already laid a charge of stock theft at the police.

The suspects are charged with the possession of suspected stolen livestock.

Funani says police in North West are working hard in an effort to reduce stock theft cases and this arrest is a step closer in achieving their goal.

The police in North West’s fight against stock theft gained more success when two suspects aged 25 and 29 were arrested by police in Pudimoe earlier this month when they were spotted loading suspected stolen cattle onto a truck in Dryhart Village.

Police reacted swiftly to a tip-off from community members who saw the suspects loading five cattle onto a truck. The suspects were apprehended and failed to account for the cattle that were reported stolen in Amalia where a charge of stock theft was laid. The cattle’s owner was summoned and later identified the animals as his.

OFM News